Thanksgiving 2010

Kristi & Bryson
The annual "Tree" photo

Jack and his sidekick Braxton

Jackie, Great-Grandma and Hannah

Will & Bryson

Braxton, Bryson and Hannah playing piano

Grandma Tikalsky and Darren

Hannah & Bryson

Steve & Max

All of the cousins sitting and almost all looking!

Mom & Hannah

Max & dad

This year we started off at Lana and Bill's house for Thanksgiving where everyone had come into town. It was great to be able to see everyone again and meet Jackie's new husband. Steve and Kristi drove in from Colorado and Jim, Karen and Adela drove up from Niobrara. Alan came in from Kearney and Susan and John stopped over. The kids love playing with Bryson and Braxton and did not want to leave. When we left we headed over to Grandma Gail's house and of course we missed the big announcement that Jackie and her husband are expecting their first baby!

When we arrived at our second Thanksgiving, we took the annual tree photo in the freezing cold and had dessert. Max went without a nap the entire day and everyone ate well!

When I asked Will what he was thankful for, he said "the whole world".

When I asked Jack was he was thankful for, he said "lizards and hamsters".

When I asked Hannah what she was thankful for, she said "sugar".

We are pretty sure that Max is thankful for his pacifier and chocolate chip cookies!

October Wrap-up & November

Hannah loves the outfit she picked out in this picture!

Dad bought Hannah more flowers!

October was a very busy month. Jack finished up football, Will finished up soccer, I had a work conference, we had our annual Fall party, Will turned 6, Max started walking, The kids had their school Halloween parties, we all got flu shots, we carved pumpkins, went trunk-or-treating at church, attended a couple of birthday parties, Will was "Star Student", Jack earned 2 Turbo math ribbons, Max began climbing the steps, Hannah had dance, did a lot of laundry, made over 100 scarecrow treats for our friends, had Grandma's birthday, Claire turned 3, and we took family pictures.

Jack is now playing basketball and Will would like to start Karate again. Max is into everything. He loves batteries and crayons. The batteries we have to take away and the crayons find the walls when I am not looking. He has started to give a sad face when you tell him No! Hannah feels bad for him and offers hugs and a lot of "its ok Max".

Hannah is really excited for her Birthday and the kids are getting excited for Christmas. I told them that I would get the lights on the tree this weekend so they could hang the ornaments on Sunday. Darren thinks it is ridiculous that I put 20 strands of lights on each year but I just want it to look sparkly. It should be interesting with tornado Max this year!

Hannah has had crazy hair day and crazy hat day at school and she really gets into it. Will tried out for a signing part in the church Christmas program (Darren and I do not many details about this yet !) and we told him we were proud of him for trying it.

Max has decided that eating is overrated and it is frustrating. He won't even take cookies or ice cream so at least I know he is not being picky. I guess he is just not hungry. He does drink a lot of milk so he will not blow away! He loves "baby school" as the kids call it. Sometimes he walks away from the door when he sees me instead of running towards me. It makes me feel good that he is loved and taken care of so well.

Will's late 6 Year Old Birthday Post!

Will,

You are such a huge light in our lives. You are loving, kind, generous, smart, daring, ambitious, inquisitive and a wonderful brother. You look up to Jack and teach Max new things. You and Hannah could play for hours dressing up, going on pretend trips, playing school, coloring pictures for me, and taking airplane rides. You love soccer and are really good at it. You understand the game and always try your hardest.

You like to watch TV and Jack likes to tell you that you are going to get "a rotten brain". Jack also calls you "little man" and I secretly think that it is a cute name for you! You will not eat any vegetables and will only eat apples without the skin for fruit. You will also not drink white milk. You are a skinny little guy and I have to take tucks in most of your pants.

You are a snuggler although not as much as you use to be. You have recently started sleeping in the clothes you want to wear the next morning. You think that it saves you time in the morning so you can get a cartoon in before we have to leave for school.

You are a great friend and like to help people. You are sensitive and think about others before yourself. Everyone says that Max looks like you and that makes you proud. Now that you are 6, you have asked me how much later you get to stay up.

Your dad and I love you more than you know!

Happy 6th Birthday Will!

Halloween 2010

Will at the Village Pointe Pumpkin display with Grandma Lana
Hannah at her class party parade

The back of Hannah's outfit

Will's Kindergarten class

Jack carving his pumpkin

Darren carving Will's pumpkin

Hannah all dressed up to carve her pumpkin

Will's finished product

Hannah's pink pumpkin with teeth

Just before trick-or-treating

Halloween started off with carving pumpkins after church. Jack carved his own this year. He is really hard on himself but it turned out nice. Darren carved Hannah and Will's pumpkins. The kids then waited for the day to pass so they could dress up and go trick-or-treating.

I took Hannah, Will and Max to both Grandma's houses and Darren took Jack to meet up with his friends. We all met up later in the evening. We started off at Grandma Lana's, hit a few neighbors and then went to Grandma Gails where Olivia, Claire and Noah were also headed. Will and Hannah started off running and I was surprised how long they lasted. Hannah got tired and only complained a little. By the end of the night she was so tired she actually told me she didn't want any more candy. Will of course cried because I told him we had to go home. He could have gone all night.

When we met up with Darren and Jack, Jack was already done and playing outside with his friends. It started getting cold so I took Will down a couple of more streets and we headed home. They rummaged through their bags and hit the sack. Max was very good and enjoyed all of the chocolate he was offered. He actually fell asleep in my arms after his bath he was so tired.

Jack was a football player again, Hannah was a rock star, Will was Wolverine and Max was a dalmatian.